No. 16 Texas gets dramatic, 5-2, 12th-inning win over Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Madison Carter broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 12th inning with a two-out, two-run single to right field, and No. 16 Texas defeated Texas Tech 5-2 on Sunday to capture a series victory over the Red Raiders.

Texas improved to 22-7, including 3-3 in the Big 12, with the win. Texas Tech fell to 22-9 and 4-5 in the Big 12.

The Longhorns led 2-0 nearly the entire game, until the Red Raiders made a dramatic comeback to tie it in the bottom of the ninth. With closer John Curtiss on, Texas Tech cut the lead to 2-1 after a walk and two singles, and tied it when pinch runner Zach Davis stole home.

Curtiss kept Texas in it with a strikeout to end the ninth, stranding a runner at third and sending the game to extras, and pitched the next three innings to eventually earn the win.

In the 12th, Collin Shaw drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout. After Alex Silver drew a walk to put runners on the corners with two outs, Carter swung at the first pitch he saw for a single through the right side that the Texas Tech right fielder misplayed, allowing Shaw and Silver to score. Carter, who reached third on the play, then scored on a Brooks Marlow single to make it 5-2 Texas.

Curtiss then struck out two in the bottom of the 12th to secure the victory for Texas.

The Longhorns had to escape real trouble in the 11th in order to get to the 12th. A walk and a fielding error gave Texas Tech runners on first and second with no outs, and Hunter Redman attempted to put down a sacrifice bunt, but Silver charged from first and threw the lead runner out at third. Curtiss then induced a lineout to center field and a groundout to second base to end the threat.

Texas, which had 44 hits in the series, recorded 15 on Sunday, including three each by Carter, Ben Johnson and C.J Hinojosa.

Like they did Saturday, the Longhorns jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first inning. Johnson singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout, then scored on a two-out RBI single through the left side by Tres Barrera.

Johnson gave Texas its third home run in as many days when he led off the third inning with a solo shot to left field to give the Longhorns a 2-0 lead. It was the third home run of the season for Johnson, who is riding a seven-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 12 of the last 13.

Starting pitcher Nathan Thornhill went 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out four and walking two.

Thornhill got inning ending double play balls in the first and fourth innings, and worked 1-2-3 innings in the second and third.

Morgan Cooper followed with 1.2 scoreless innings as Texas held on to its 2-0 lead until the ninth.